Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

F. L. BURTON.

THILL COUPLING.

' No. 373,174. Patented Nov. 15, 1887.

'WITNESSES: INVEN TOR:

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V UNITED STATES FRANK L. BURTON, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

TH lLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,174, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed March 22, 1887. Serial No. 213L953. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that'I, FRANK L. BURTON, of Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Thill-Oouplings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an anti-rattler and pivot-holding device for couplings connecting thills to the axle of vehicles, and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts of the anti-rattler and pivot-holder, all

as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a thill-coupling with my improved anti-rattler and pivot-holder applied. Fig. 2 is a front view with the eye of the thill-iron in vertical section, and Fig. 3 is a front perspective view of the anti-rattler and pivot-holder.

The anti-rattler and pivot pin or bolt holder comprises three metal plates, one, A, which, preferably, is bent around at its lower end, a, to form a groove or notch to receive the lower end of the plate B,which is riveted at b to the plate A as closely as may be to'its end a. The upper end of the plate A is bent forward, form ing a flange, a, to which the third plate, 0, is riveted at c. All three plates A B O are made preferably of spring-steel or other suitable elastic metal or material; but the plate A may be inelastic and the plates B C elastic without seriously impairing the utility of the devlce.

The plate B is curved upward and outward from its rivet-connection at a with the plate A to a point, b, whence the upper end of the plate is bent or curved in a shorter or quicker are at If, to fit the eye d of the thill-iron D, which is held .to the lugs e e of the clip E by a headed pin or bolt, F, the clip passing around the axle G in the usual manner to secure the thill-coupling to the axle.

The plate 0 is provided with a downwardly and forwardly projecting flange, c, and when the two connected plates A B are slipped between the thill-iron eye d and the clip E, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the flange 0 will overlap the headf of the pivot-pin Fand prevent displacement or loss of the pin and make the use of a nut or collar on the forward end-of the pin or bolt unnecessary for holding the pivot to place. The flange c has an inbent lower edge portion, c",which books under the squared or flat side of bolt or pin head f, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The shape of the plates A B is such that the plate B normally stands off at b from the plate A a greater distance'thanthe width of the space between the thill-iron eye d and the clip E, so that when the parts A B are slipped or forced to place until the part b of the plate B engages thethill-iron eye the plates A B, or B alone, should the plate A be inelastic,will be put in tension to press on the thill-iron and prevent rattling of the iron on the pivot-pin F, while the flange 0' of plate 0 holds the pin to place, not only by the pressure of the part b of plate B on the thill-iron, but also by the edge or, part c of the plate 0, which underlaps the head of the pivot pin or bolt, and in so doing also prevents turning or rattling of the bolt in the thill-iron eye or in the clip.

The plates A B may be made in one piece; but the two-part riveted construction above described is at present preferred. Furthermore, the plate 0 may have a flange projecting at the face of the plate A and riveted to it, instead of turning a flange, a, from the body of the plate A and riveting it to the plate 0, as above set forth.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a thill-coupling, of an anti-rattler, and pivot-holding device, comprising an elastic plate or plates placed between the coupling clip or axle and the thill-iron eye and forcing the eye to the pivot, and a flange-plate connected to the aforesaid elastic plate or plates and bearing against the end and side of the pivot, to prevent endwise displacement and rotary motion of the pivot, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a thill-coupling, of connected plates A B O, the plate B having a bearing on the thill-iron eye, and the plate 0 having a flange, 0, hearing against the head of the thin-coupling pivot, and a flange or part, 0 extending over or lapping on the side of the pivot-head, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

3. Asa new article of manufacture, an antirattler and pivotholding device for thill-couplings, comprising connected plates A B O, the

IO plate B having a part, 12*, adapted to bear on the thill-iron eye, and the plate 0 having a part, 0, adapted to bear on the head of the thill-coupling pivot, and a part, 0, adapted to lap over the side of the pivot-head, substantially as shown and described.

FRANK L. BURTON.

Witnesses:

011s. HOLGOMB, J. M. GRIFFIN. 

